Physical therapy telehealth solutions can be synchronous (provider and patient interact in real time on a live feed) or asynchronous (aka “store and forward” where patients and providers access data such as videos, reports, and messages whenever it works best for them).

Synchronous telehealth helps to reach populations that either wouldn’t have access to healthcare (rural populations) or for those that have difficulty getting into a traditional medical office (homebound patients).

The main limitations to this approach is that both patient and provider have to be available at the same time and have to have the system working properly.

Streaming services can have technical glitches and user errors can throw a wrench into your meeting times.

The providers I know utilizing this option are using services like Skype, which are subject to security and connection issues at times.

Can you imagine the frustration of your connection dropping right in the middle of your doctor’s visit?

Asynchronous telehealth cuts down these barriers and allows for patients to get the healthcare they need at a time that works best for them.

Looking back on my career in outpatient and home health settings, I can identify many times where this option would have made a huge difference. (I recently wrote about one particular scenario that will likely ring true for you.)

Don’t get left behind when it comes to physical therapy telehealth solutions

I encounter PT business owners who say things like, “That sounds great, but I just don’t have the time to look into physical therapy telehealth solutions and technology like that.”

If that sounds like something you’d say, here’s my response: You can’t afford not to look into this.

Those that are slow to adapt get left behind. If you want to be a successful provider in the new digital age, you need to spend the time right now not in a year or two.